DUNNERS DELIVERY: Athers was harsh but fair

Published:07:38Wednesday 29 June 2011

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SO the knives are already out for the three-captain system England recently introduced.

Former England skipper and Sky commentator Mike Atherton was particularly vocal on Sky Sports over the weekend, saying Eoin Morgan will replace both Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad as captains in the future.

Athers, not known for his quick scoring, said Cook was not right for the 50-over format as he was a ‘plodder’ and that he could not set an example in the field because he was a ‘bit of a donkey’.

Harsh words, but I agree, Cook, as good a player as he is, was not the right choice for one-day captain.

You need someone who can adapt to different situations in the context of a game and someone who can motivate and set standards in the field.

Ian Bell would have been the perfect choice to lead England in both one-day and Twenty20 cricket. He can score quickly when required and he is joy to watch on form.

And apart from Jimmy Anderson, Bell is probably England’s best fielder.

Eoin Morgan would also make a good captain eventually but at the moment I don’t think he has had enough experience at the top level.

Bell has been on the international scene for a while now and has a part to play in all forms of the game.

The fact he was dropped for England’s humiliation against Sri Lanka on Saturday shows how the selectors cannot make a correct decision in the one-day format.

England are excelling in Test matches at the moment but they can’t get it right in the limited overs format.

There needs to be consistency in selection and they need to put the right people in the right jobs.